PHEB705 Theories of truth

Annotation:

The course presents the main theories of truth, the arguments, and the debates that mark this concept throughout the 20th century and to the present day. The first part of the course focuses on the main theoretical rivals, the correspondence, the coherence, the pragmatist, the semantic, the deflationist etc. conceptions. The second part of the course focuses on the question of the importance of the concept of truth in broader context, outside the theoretical framework of the 'nature' of truth.

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Philosophy

Lecturers:

Assoc. Prof. Hristo Gyoshev, PhD

Course Description:

Competencies:

After completing successfully this course the students will:

1) know:

Which are the key theories of truth, what are the main aspect of the concept of truth, and the major interpretations of this concept from the ancient thinkers' views to the present day

2) are capable of:

Understanding the importance of the analysis of the concept of truth; acknowledging the different contexts in which the concept is being used, participating in discussions on the philosophical aspects of the various uses of the concept of truth.
Prerequisites:
None

Types:
Full-time Programmes

Types of Courses:
Lecture

Language of teaching:
Bulgarian

Topics:

  1. Meaning and uses of “truth” and “true”
  2. Classical and contemporary philosophical conceptions of truth
  3. Truth, meaning, and knowledge
  4. Main problems and concepts in contemporary debates on truth
  5. The correspondence theory of truth – part I
  6. The correspondence theory of truth – part II
  7. Truth as coherence
  8. The pragmatist theory of truth
  9. The pragmaticist theory of truth
  10. Midterm exam
  11. The semantic conception of truth
  12. The deflationist conception of truth
  13. The functionalist theory of truth
  14. Ethical theory and truth
  15. Pluralistic views about truth

Bibliography:

Austin, J. (1950) Truth. In: Aristotelian Society Supplementq 24 (1):111—29.

James, W. (1907). Pragmatism. Dover publications.

Kirkham, Richard L. Theories of Truth: A Critical Introduction. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 1992.

Lynch, M. (2001) (ed.) The Nature of Truth: Classical and Contemporary Perspectives. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press,.

Russell, B. (1910). On the Nature of Truth and Falsehood. In: Philosophical Essays. Longmans.

Strawson, P. (1948). Truth. In: Analysis 9 (6):83-97.

Tarski, A. (1943). The semantic conception of truth: And the foundations of semantics. In: Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 4 (3):341-376 (1943)